Allergens in Ven Pongal: milk, tree nuts.
Ingredients
Quantities for 4.
- 1 cup, rinsed Rice
- 1/2 cup, dry-roasted until fragrant Moong Dalroasting is what stops it tasting like plain khichdi
- 5 tbsp Gheehalf in the pot, half poured over at the end
- 1.5 tsp, coarsely crushed Black Pepper
- 1 tsp Cumin Seeds
- 1 tbsp, finely minced Ginger
- 2 sprigs Curry Leaves
- 12, whole Cashewoptional
- 1/4 tsp Asafoetidause compounded-free hing to keep this gluten-free
- 5 cups Water
- to taste Salt
Cookware
pressure cooker, stovetop
Checked against the ingredient list for ten allergens: milk, egg, fish, crustaceans, tree nuts, peanuts, sesame, mustard, soy and gluten. Brands vary, so read the label on anything new to you.
Before you start
- Dry-roast the moong dal on low heat for 4 minutes until it smells nutty and turns a shade darker, then rinse it.
- Crush the pepper coarsely in a mortar. Whole peppercorns are unpleasant to bite and ground pepper disappears.
- Have the ghee tempering ready before the cooker is opened; pongal stiffens as it cools.
Method
- Pressure cook the rice and roasted dal with 5 cups water and the salt for 5 whistles.Five cups looks like far too much water. It is not. Pongal should be sloppy.
- Let the pressure fall on its own, then open and mash the mixture with a ladle until it is soft and shapeless.
- Keep it on the lowest heat while you make the tempering, stirring so the base does not catch.
- Heat the ghee in a small pan and fry the cashews to pale gold, about 40 seconds.
- Add the cumin seeds and crushed pepper and let them sizzle for 20 seconds.Pepper that fries too long turns acrid, 20 seconds, no more.
- Add the ginger, curry leaves and hing and fry until the leaves crisp.
- Pour the whole tempering into the pongal and fold it through.
- Check the consistency and loosen with hot water until it falls off the ladle in a thick sheet.
- Serve immediately with the remaining ghee spooned over, alongside coconut chutney.
Storage
Keeps 2 days refrigerated but sets firm. Reheat with 1/2 cup hot water per portion, mashing until it flows again, and add a spoon of fresh ghee.
Nutrition Medium estimate
One serving of Ven Pongal (371 g) is about 419 calories, or 113 calories per 100 g.
Medium protein: 10 g a serving, 10% of the calories
| Per serving371 g | Per 100 g | |
|---|---|---|
| Calories | 419 kcal | 113 kcal |
| Protein | 10.0 g | 3 g |
| Carbohydrate | 57.4 g | 16 g |
| of which sugars | 1.8 g | 0 g |
| Fibre | 5.0 g | 1 g |
| Fat | 16.9 g | 5 g |
| of which saturated | 10.1 g | 3 g |
| of which unsaturated | 5.7 g | 2 g |
Ingredients given to taste count as zero, so the real figures run a little higher. Nearest database match used for asafoetida, curry leaves. Estimated from raw ingredients using USDA FoodData Central.
More like this: Vegetarian Indian recipes · Gluten-free Indian recipes · No onion no garlic recipes · Tamil Nadu recipes
Times, yields, allergens and nutrition are guidance. Use your own judgement on doneness and on storing. More in About.